


Captain Higgins

by BlackHilda



Category: Thor (Movies)
Genre: International Fanworks Day 2018
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-15
Updated: 2018-02-15
Packaged: 2019-03-19 07:51:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,437
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13700121
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlackHilda/pseuds/BlackHilda
Summary: Everyone knows Loki does what he wants he isn't the God Mischief for nothing, but what they also know is that he gets what he wants.





	Captain Higgins

  
Ever since I can remember Loki freaked out over Squirrels. He really liked them – no, he loved them. I can clearly remember the time when he pestered our father from sunrise to dawn, every single day for ten years. Eventually everyone on the castle was tired of hearing about the many benefits of having a Squirrel or of the political opportunities that having one may bring. And so one day, tired of having Loki following him everywhere like a shadow, he gifted him an entire garden where the most fine Squirrel of the nine realms lay asleep. Needless to say, Loki was beyond delighted.

 

He couldn’t stop speaking of it for another seven years. After that he settled with the notion that all Asgard knew how wonderful Captain Higgins was and that he didn’t need to go and announce it every time he saw anybody. Loki cherished that little red rodent probably more than his own life, he carried him everywhere. And when I say everywhere I mean literally everywhere; even to the bathtub, in fact that sneaky Squirrel enjoyed taking baths with Loki. After some time it was irritating how all Loki's attention was devoted to that rodent, the stupid thing always perched in his shoulder. Nobody really seemed to care, Loki was happy and focused on something other than pranking people or rambling endlessly about Squirrels. Nobody except me.

  
Ever since his new found accomplice took part of his life all Loki's time was monopolized by him. Leaving me completely and utterly aside. It was a hard blow, after all before the little rodent I was the one at the receiving end of Loki's idolatry. He followed me everywhere, to the point of being annoying. Now I was being ignored. Constantly. It really was a surprise how things turned out to be; I would daily go ask Loki if he'd liked to go sparring or join me and the others on an adventure, not once was I taken on my offer. Then I changed tactics. I started following Loki around, sitting in silence with him while he was reading on the library (the damn rodent curled on his lap) and listening to him rambled about the things that rodent had done (the bloody Squirrel sitting proudly on his shoulder). Once in a while I would suggest going on a trip or for a walk on the city, when I was taken on the walks and I really want to stress the 'when' part, the little sneaky rodent was always with him. I was in a constant competition with the damn Squirrel and I wasn’t winning.

This continued for several decades. Me trying, and failing miserably, to get Loki's attention and only getting the weird looks of others and the worry of the Warrior Three. It was on a sunny afternoon when I had had enough, I was sure the damn rodent had winked at me! I strode furiously through the corridors, finally throwing open the Throne Room's doors and demanding my father to take away the bloody Squirrel. Odin was baffled. Then he proceed to say that he couldn’t do that, it was Loki's pet after all. I’m not very proud of what happen next, but I started crying, something I hadn’t done since I was little older than a babe, and between sobs begged him to take away that monster that had taken my brother from me. He let me cry for a good five minutes without uttering a word until I had once again composed myself. Then he said:

  
_“Thor, my son, I know you miss your brother greatly but I’m afraid there is nothing I can do to relieve the pain that burdens you”_ —His eyes looked sadly at me before he continued. _“And as I said before, Captain Higgins is the dear pet of your brother and I will not take away from him the companion for which he cares so deeply about.”_ —He stated firmly. _“What I can do, and will, is let you take a time off from your duties as Prince so you can think things over and not make any rash decisions”_ He left a telling silence after his last sentence. I knew what it meant: _'As you are known for'_. I left in a fuss.

  
He was vanishing me! For a Squirrel! It was unheard of and I was totally offended, even though deep down I knew father was wise and always did what he think right but not even that made me any less frustrated. And so next day I was sent away under the pretext of helping in Alfheim with some wild trolls. I do not know what happened in the period I was away, what I do now is that Loki was most certainly bonding even further with that rat of his. Regardless I eventually made peace with the fact that I had been replaced and was able to return to Asgard. I thought that now that I had came around my life on the palace would return to a normal basis. Boy, was I wrong.

After my return there was a feast awaiting me. We sang and drink mead until our throats were numb and our tongues felt like lead. The day after I woke up in a mysterious maidens chamber, a broad grin on my face. I was back. Between sparring, exploring, drinking and feasting two weeks had passed. When the unexpected happened. One day Captain Higgins didn’t woke up. No matter how much Loki shake him or said his name, not a muscle moved on acknowledgement. Captain Higgins was dead.

Loki cried for six weeks straight. Not leaving his chambers not matter what coaxing was tried. Not even Frigga was allowed to enter. A powerful spell left everybody outside. The wailing sounded on the whole castle as if he was right next to you, his cries were even heard on the capital. On the seventh week the cries started diminishing and in the seventh day of that week they stopped completely. It wasn’t until three weeks had passed in an eerie silence that Loki gave the first signs of life. Not too long afterwards he left his chambers after ten weeks of isolation. He went straight to father.  
At that moment me and father were discussing with the council when Loki stormed in. His hair was dishevelled, two deep purple bags were under his eyes wet with unshed tears and his skin was even paler than usual with a sick yellowish undertone. He had lost weight, a lot.

 

  
_“Loki”_ —Had said father. _“How nice to see you"_

  
_“I want a funeral"_ —Was all Loki said, ignoring the greeting and skipping all politeness.

  
_“A funeral?”_ —For a moment father sounded taken aback.

  
_“Yes"_ —Was the only answer he gave.

  
_“For who?”_ —I immediately regret my stupidity.

  
Loki's wild gaze turned to glare at me. His hands were trembling and the force of his yell destabilize me.

  
_“For Captain Higgins!”_ —Was the guttural scream. _“I want a funeral!”_ —He screamed again. _“A proper one!”_

  
_“Of course, Loki”_ —Father’s words seemed to calm him down. _“He'll have a proper funeral"_ —His voice had a final sound to it.

For many had been a shock when it was announced that in the dawn there was going to take place Captain Higgins, Loki's Squirrel, funeral. They couldn’t believe it and yet there they were, standing solemnly looking into the water while the extremely small leaf shaped canoe set sail. The timeless corpse of Captain Higgins was surrounded by wild flowers and his favourite berries. It seemed as if the animal was only hibernating. I watched as silent tears fell from my brother eyes. When the canoe was close to reaching the waterfall to the void he raised his right arm and the canoe was swallowed by fire. In less than a second the canoe disappear, falling endlessly on the void.

Loki didn’t talk for a long time after that and even when he began to speak again it wasn’t the same. He didn’t glow with happiness anymore. It was clear he missed his Squirrel dearly. It made me feel more than a little guilty. And so I went to talk to father, I asked him to please make something about it. I couldn’t stand looking the sad puppy eyes which Loki had all the time. After several minutes of discussing the matter, they agreed that they should try cheering Loki up.

  
That’s why when Loki woke up next morning a white ferret was cuddling on his neck. Loki didn’t stop rambling about it for years.


End file.
